Secondary differential operators (Q1081017)

Let Č be an arbitrary system of (nonlinear) partial differential equations. Higher infinitesimal symmetries of Č may be interpreted as vector fields on the ''manifold'' Sol Č of all local solutions of this system. The paper deals with the construction of differential operators of arbitrary orders on Sol Č. The geometric and functional approaches to the theorem of these operators, are presented, and their equivalence is proved when Č is the trivial equation. Coincidence of ''extrinsic'' and ''intrinsic'' geometric secondary operators is proved for an arbitrary system Č. It is shown that each geometric secondary operator may be approximated by a sum of compositions of evolution differentiations with any possible accuracy, a description of geometric secondary operators in local coordinates is also given. These results are obtained by studying the geometry of infinite jets and infinitely prolonged equations.